8 h. ago Only two years left of world’s carbon budget to meet 1.5C target, scientists warn

Breaching threshold would ramp up catastrophic weather events, further increasing human sufferingThe planet’s remaining carbon budget to meet the international target of 1.5C has just two years left at the current rate of emissions, scientists have warned, showing how deep into the climate crisis the world has fallen.Breaching the target would ramp up the extreme weather already devastating communities around the world. It would also require carbon dioxide to be sucked from the atmosphere in future to restore the stable climate in which the whole of civilisation developed over the past 10,000 years. Continue reading...

Events

14 h. ago Key crop yields could fall due to climate crisis even if farmers adapt, study finds

Researchers say average daily losses for every 1C the planet heats up could add to equivalent of not having breakfastSome of our critical staple crops could suffer “substantial” production losses due to climate breakdown, a study has found, even if farmers adapt to worsening weather.Rice, maize, soy, wheat, cassava and sorghum yields are all projected to fall by as much as 120 calories per person per day for every 1C the planet heats up, according to new research in Nature, with average daily losses that could add up to the equivalent of not having breakfast. Continue reading...

Society

14 h. ago Climate crisis could hit yields of key crops even if farmers adapt, study finds

Production of staple crops projected to fall by as much as 120 calories per person per day for every 1C of heatingSome of our critical staple crops could suffer “substantial” production losses due to climate breakdown, a study has found, even if farmers adapt to worsening weather.Maize, soy, rice, wheat, cassava and sorghum yields are projected to fall by as much as 120 calories per person per day for every 1C the planet heats up, according to new research in Nature, with average daily losses that could add up to the equivalent of not having breakfast. Continue reading...

Events

48 h. ago World’s largest banks pledged $869bn to fossil fuel firms in 2024, new report finds

Two-thirds of the biggest 65 banks increased financing by $162bn from 2023 to 2024, walking back climate promisesThe world’s largest banks boosted the amount of financing given to fossil fuel companies last year, committing $869bn to those involved in coal, oil and gas despite the worsening climate crisis and the banks’ own, fraying, environmental commitments, a new report has found.The report, compiled by a coalition of eight green groups, shows that while the amount loaned by big banks to fossil fuel firms had been declining in 2021, last year saw an abrupt reversal. Two-thirds of the world’s largest 65 banks increased their fossil fuel financing by $162bn from 2023 to 2024. Continue reading...

Economics

49 h. ago Warning as England faces 5bn litre a day water shortage without urgent action

Pressures on the public water supply include the climate crisis, population increases and emerging technologies, as well as the need to generate energy and to grow food

Events

3 d. ago From the climate crisis to a fried egg sandwich: Edith Pritchett’s week in Venn diagrams – cartoon

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Events

3 d. ago British politics is in a loop and it's Farage's vision that's stuck on repeat | John Harris

Unlike Keir Starmer and his cabinet, Reform UK’s leader actually understands and exploits the rules of engagement in our digital ageAs so often happens, what Nigel Farage said on a recent visit to south Wales deserved endless pejoratives. It was ludicrous, condescending, half-baked, opportunistic and plain stupid. Even he didn’t seem to know exactly what he wanted. At a Reform UK press conference in Port Talbot, he seemed to make the case for reopening the town’s steel-making blast furnaces, before admitting that “it might be easier to build a new one”, though he also acknowledged that it would “cost in the low billions” to do so. But he had even more dizzying visions of reopened Welsh mines. “If you offer people well-paying jobs many will take them,” said Farage, “even though you have to accept that mining is dangerous.”The climate crisis, predictably enough, was not worth considering. He also did not offer any opinions about coal-related issues such as slag heaps, land slips, rive...

Politics

3 d. ago Why nuclear war, not the climate crisis, is humanity’s biggest threat, according to one author

Mark Lynas has spent decades pushing for action on climate emissions but now says nuclear war is even greater threat Climate breakdown is usually held up as the biggest, most urgent threat humans pose to the future of the planet today.But what if there was another, greater, human-made threat that could snuff out not only human civilisation, but practically the entire biosphere, in the blink of an eye? Continue reading...

Events

7 d. ago Chemtrails: why is RFK Jr battling a debunked conspiracy theory?

The US health secretary is among those who believe nefarious substances are covertly added to commercial jet fuelThe Trump administration appears sceptical about the climate crisis but is deeply concerned about another weather phenomenon: chemtrails.To conspiracists, chemtrails are visible trails left by commercial airliners, lasting longer than the usual condensation trails from jets and containing unknown, sinister chemicals. Continue reading...

Events

7 d. ago Funds to tackle Europe’s forest fires poorly targeted, says EU watchdog

Report raises concerns that money allocated to combat fires not reaching areas where it could make biggest differenceEuropean funds to prevent forest fires have been poorly targeted and sometimes distributed in a hurry, according to a report from the EU’s spending watchdog.The number of forest fires in EU countries has increased dramatically over the last two decades as the climate crisis fuels ever bigger conflagrations. An area twice the size of Luxembourg has been consumed by flames in an average recent year, killing people, destroying homes and wildlife and sending megatonnes of planet-heating emissions into the air. Continue reading...

Events

9 d. ago Aid cuts put vital work to protect millions in Ethiopia from climate crisis at risk

Programmes helping vulnerable communities in Ethiopia to deal with the financial shock of extreme weather and drought are under threat, writes Nick Ferris

Events

1 week ago The scientists warning the world about ocean acidification – ‘evil twin’ of the climate crisis

There’s frustration among researchers that falling pH levels in seas around the globe are not being taken seriously enough, and that until the buildup of CO2 is addressed, the consequences for marine life will be devastatingRead more: ‘Ticking timebomb’: sea acidity has reached critical levels, threatening entire ecosystems – studyOn a clear day at Plymouth marina you can see across the harbour out past Drake’s Island – named after the city’s most famous son, Francis Drake – to the Channel. It’s quite often possible to see an abundance of marine vessels, from navy ships and passenger ferries to small fishing boats and yachts. What you might not spot from this distance is a large yellow buoy bobbing up and down in the water about six miles off the coast.This data buoy – L4 – is one of a number belonging to Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML), a research centre in Devon dedicated to marine science. On a pleasantly calm May morning, Prof James Fishwick, PML’s head of marine technology and...

Events

1 week ago The scientists warning the world about the ‘evil twin’ of the climate crisis affecting our oceans

There’s frustration among researchers that falling pH levels in seas around the globe are not being taken seriously enough, and that until the buildup of CO2 is addressed, the consequences for marine life will be devastatingRead more: ‘Ticking timebomb’: sea acidity has reached critical levels, threatening entire ecosystems – studyOn a clear day at Plymouth marina you can see across the harbour out past Drake’s Island – named after the city’s most famous son, Francis Drake – to the Channel. It’s quite often possible to see an abundance of marine vessels, from navy ships and passenger ferries to small fishing boats and yachts. What you might not spot from this distance is a large yellow buoy bobbing up and down in the water about six miles off the coast.This data buoy – L4 – is one of a number belonging to Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML), a research centre in Devon dedicated to marine science. On a pleasantly calm May morning, Prof James Fishwick, PML’s head of marine technology and...

Events

1 week ago How the ‘evil twin’ of the climate crisis is threatening our oceans

In seas around the world pH levels are falling – and scientists are increasingly frustrated that the problem is not being taken seriously enoughRead more: ‘Ticking timebomb’: sea acidity has reached critical levels, threatening entire ecosystems – studyOn a clear day at Plymouth marina you can see across the harbour out past Drake’s Island – named after the city’s most famous son, Francis Drake – to the Channel. It’s quite often possible to see an abundance of marine vessels, from navy ships and passenger ferries to small fishing boats and yachts. What you might not spot from this distance is a large yellow buoy bobbing up and down in the water about six miles off the coast.This data buoy – L4 – is one of a number belonging to Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML), a research centre in Devon dedicated to marine science. On a pleasantly calm May morning, Prof James Fishwick, PML’s head of marine technology and autonomy, is on top of the buoy checking it for weather and other damage. “This...

Events

1 week ago ‘Ticking timebomb’: sea acidity has reached critical levels, threatening entire ecosystems – study

Ocean acidification has already crossed a crucial threshold for planetary health, scientists say in unexpected findingMore on this story: The scientists warning the world about ocean acidification – ‘evil twin’ of the climate crisis The world’s oceans are in worse health than realised, scientists have said today, as they warn that a key measurement shows we are “running out of time” to protect marine ecosystems.Ocean acidification, often called the “evil twin” of the climate crisis, is caused when carbon dioxide is rapidly absorbed by the ocean, where it reacts with water molecules leading to a fall in the pH level of the seawater. It damages coral reefs and other ocean habitats and, in extreme cases, can dissolve the shells of marine creatures. Continue reading...

Events

1 week ago Parenting in the climate crisis: how to raise kids who care about the environment

From acknowledging big emotions to finding ways to make climate action fun, it’s important to start where your kids areChange by Degrees offers life hacks and sustainable living tips each Saturday to help reduce your household’s carbon footprintGot a question or tip for reducing household emissions? Email us at changebydegrees@theguardian.comAlthough it’s unfair, it’s young people (and the generations to come) who will have to deal with fallout from the climate crisis. So how do you talk to young people about living sustainably and raise knowledgeable kids who care about the future of the planet?Here are some tips for engaging the next generation on the environment meaningfully. Continue reading...

Society

1 week ago Rapid snowmelt and Trump cuts compound wildfire fears in US west

Region is experiencing an unusually warm spring, raising concerns of fierce wildfire season amid limited resourcesUnusually warm springtime temperatures have contributed to rapid reductions in snowpacks across the western US that rival the fastest rates on record, increasing concerns around wildfire season.The rapid snowmelt, in addition to reduced staffing and budget constraints initiated by the Trump administration, has set the stage for a particularly dangerous season across the west, according to an analysis of publicly available data by the Guardian and interviews with experts in the region. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago Marine heatwave found to have engulfed area of ocean five times the size of Australia

World Meteorological Organization report says record heat in 2024 was driven by climate crisis and intersected with extreme weather eventsAlmost 40 million sq kilometres of ocean around south-east Asia and the Pacific – an area five times the size of Australia – was engulfed in a marine heatwave in 2024, a World Meteorological Organization (WMO) report has revealed.WMO scientists said the record heat – on land and in the ocean – was mostly driven by the climate crisis and coincided with a string of extreme weather events, from deadly landslides in the Philippines to floods in Australia and rapid glacier loss in Indonesia. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago The role water efficiency plays in a greener Scotland: Here’s how your business can save water and money

Given the climate crisis, increasing costs and the need to protect what is fast becoming a precious resource, Stephen Sheridan, Head of Account Management at Business Stream shares his insights into what businesses can do to reduce water use - and benefit from financial and environmental savings.

Economics

2 w. ago A moment that changed me: I saw my first wild water bear – and snapped out of my despair at the world

I was in anguish over the climate crisis, ecological devastation and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. But this almost indestructible little creature gave me a lesson in resilienceLess than a millimetre in length, the squishy, transparent animal was completely unaware of my presence, my entire existence, while I watched it in awe. On my computer screen, where I gazed at the image generated by a cheap USB microscope, the water bear stumbled over grains of eroded rock and plant matter, an assemblage of soil, and I felt amused by its bumbling nature. Like someone trying to move through a field of beach balls, I thought.I had found this water bear, or tardigrade, in a clump of moss I collected during a wet and windy walk with our dog, Bernie, in late 2021. After changing into dry clothes, I rinsed the moss with water and removed the excess using coffee filter paper. Transferring the residue soil and stray moss leaves – known as phyllids – to a small glass bowl, I found the water bear within...

Politics